Will this combination work

[dacotahkid]

I am looking at buying the following and have been told that it will not be a good combination because of the length of the trailer. What does everyone on here think?

TV:
2008 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab Z71 4x4
5.3L
3.73 gears
tow package
GVW: 7000 lb
Max Tow: 7500 lb
GCWR: 13,000 lb
Wheelbase: 143.6"

TT:
Northtrail 28BRS
Dry: 5180 lb
GVWR: 6900 lb
Hitch Weight: 482 lb
Height: 10'2"
Lenght: 32'

I have been researching and would probably get a Prodigy P3 and an Equilizer brand WD with sway.

[Iraqvet05]

Nvr2loud wrote:

Iraqvet05 wrote:

romore wrote:
I think you will be very disappointed particularly on the hills, you are too close to the truck's towing capacity for comfort.

x2

I have the 3.42 gears and with a loaded 4500 lb (dry) TT and a family of 4 in the TV, I'm disappointed with the Silverado's ability to pull a hill and passing ability in the upper gear range.

Really? I run the 5.3 / 3.42 / 6 speed / family of 5 / 6006 lb trailer and have had zero issues with power. I don't use 5th or 6th gears when towing, they are both Over Drive ratio gears. When I allow the transmission to use 5th or 6th, it actually shifts into those gears to attempt to lower engine rpm and my fuel consumption gets massive. I limit it to 4th and under, engine runs a little faster, lots of power, and fuel consumption goes down.

This is all subjective and a matter of opinion. I'm not pulling up steep grades in Missouri and I don't tow over 60 mph. Your 6 speed transmission gearing is much better that my 4 speed. The 460LE and 6L80 gear ratios are not the same. Your 4th gear is at 1.15 and mine is at .69….your 6th gear ratio is closer to my 4th gear at .67. I may try dropping it down to 3rd they next time it hit one of those hills that drop me down to 40-45 mph but I'll have to watch the transmission temp and RPMs. I think the newer Silverados with the 6 speed transmission (late 2009 and on models) clearly have a better towing capability over their predecessors.

[Goldstalker]

dacotahkid wrote:
I was looking at that also. According to spec my payload is 1801 lb appx. So if I keep the weight of the TT at 6500 lb that would be 975 lb TW at 15%. So taking the weight of a family of 4 @ 465 which is inflated a bit for the growing kids (and hoping that I don't gain!!!) that should leave me 360 lb of cargo in the TV. Am I figuring that right? I figure I am leaving about 15% give or take from max tow cap for safety margin at that point.

Your payload will be closer to 1550. I have the same truck. Just check the yellow sticker on the door.

[Nvr2loud]

Iraqvet05 wrote:

romore wrote:
I think you will be very disappointed particularly on the hills, you are too close to the truck's towing capacity for comfort.

x2

I have the 3.42 gears and with a loaded 4500 lb (dry) TT and a family of 4 in the TV, I'm disappointed with the Silverado's ability to pull a hill and passing ability in the upper gear range.

Really? I run the 5.3 / 3.42 / 6 speed / family of 5 / 6006 lb trailer and have had zero issues with power. I don't use 5th or 6th gears when towing, they are both Over Drive ratio gears. When I allow the transmission to use 5th or 6th, it actually shifts into those gears to attempt to lower engine rpm and my fuel consumption gets massive. I limit it to 4th and under, engine runs a little faster, lots of power, and fuel consumption goes down.

[Nvr2loud]

EcoBullet wrote:

dacotahkid wrote:
I am looking at buying the following and have been told that it will not be a good combination because of the length of the trailer. What does everyone on here think?

TV:
2008 Chevy Silverado Crew Cab Z71 4x4
5.3L
3.73 gears
tow package
GVW: 7000 lb
Max Tow: 7500 lb
GCWR: 13,000 lb
Wheelbase: 143.6"

I had that exact truck and pulled the trailer in signature, which weighs about 5300 pounds empty. What I didn't like was winding to 4K RPM on every grade. This was especially bad in the mountains of Colorado. If you are planning to go on mostly flat land, short trips it will be fine.

4000 rpm is not an issue for that engine, it produces peak torque at 4000 rpm and peak horsepower at 5200 rpm

Why so fearful of giving the engine some gas and letting her work at the designed speed?

[Nvr2loud]

usmohls2@yahoo.com wrote:
You will be disappointed with the 5.3 as a tv. Just not enough torque to keep it from working it self to death.

That is just an opinion, I had the older 6.0 with 4 speed and updated my Sierra to a newer model with the 5.3 and 6 speed. It pulls my 6000 lb trailer without issue. There is plenty of torque and horsepower. I have never had an issue with lack of power from that engine.

[JJ_Spectre]

It looks to me like the numbers work, and with the 3.73 rear end, I think you'll be fine, although you won't be winning any land speed records.

Don't get too discouraged by the comments regarding what you should be able to tow with from this group. Some would drive a 2500 to haul an A Liner. 😄

[Ron_Gratz]

dacotahkid wrote:
---According to spec my payload is 1801 lb appx. So if I keep the weight of the TT at 6500 lb that would be 975 lb TW at 15%. So taking the weight of a family of 4 @ 465 which is inflated a bit for the growing kids (and hoping that I don't gain!!!) that should leave me 360 lb of cargo in the TV. Am I figuring that right? I figure I am leaving about 15% give or take from max tow cap for safety margin at that point.

IMO, 13% is a good TW% for estimating purposes. That would give a TW of about 850# for a 6500# GVW TT.

With a properly sized and adjusted WDH, a TW of 850# would cause a vertical load of about 850*0.8 = 680# to be imposed on the TV.

The payload value of 1801# for a Crew Cab 4x4 seems too high. Did you get that number off the Tire Label (weight of Occupants and Cargo)on the driver's door edge?
If 1801# is correct, the remaining available payload for TV occupants and cargo, including the weight of a WDH, might be about 1800-680 = 1120#.

Ron

[lanerd]

EcoBullet wrote:

dacotahkid wrote:
According to spec my payload is 1801 lb appx.

No need to approximate. The yellow sticker on the door will tell you exactly.

I don't think this is quite true as it may have been correct when the truck left the factory, but anything added afterwards will subtract from this figure. Unless the truck is "exactly" like it was, the payload will definitely be less. This can be from a few pounds to several hundred pounds.

The only true way to find the actual payload is to get the truck weighed equipped like it will be when towing and then subtract that figure from the truck's GVWR.

Don't forget the weight of the WD unit and hitch head.

[Mr_Beebo]

Pulled a 25' 5500lb camper + wood, water, bikes, etc with a 5.3 3.42 geared 2006 Tahoe for 5 years. It did everything I needed it to. Good WD hitch, brake controller, even distribution of junk you take with you between the camper the the TV, etc are important. Yes, you may be near the higher end of you truck's capabilities, but you will still be within them. Just know your limitations.
That said, I do now use a 2500 6.0 Chevy with a 4.10 gear and there is a huge difference, but I still go thru the same routines for setup regardless.

[EcoBullet]

dacotahkid wrote:
According to spec my payload is 1801 lb appx.

No need to approximate. The yellow sticker on the door will tell you exactly. I don't have mine anymore, but it seems like payload on mine was about 1600 pounds.

I do think you'll be OK weight wise if you make sure to always pack light.

As I said before, climbing hills was what I hated about mine. I-70, west of Denver, toward Eisenhower tunnel = 10+ miles of 4000+ RPM in 1st gear to maintain 45 mph = very memorable.

[fla-gypsy]

dacotahkid wrote:
I was looking at that also. According to spec my payload is 1801 lb appx. So if I keep the weight of the TT at 6500 lb that would be 975 lb TW at 15%. So taking the weight of a family of 4 @ 465 which is inflated a bit for the growing kids (and hoping that I don't gain!!!) that should leave me 360 lb of cargo in the TV. Am I figuring that right? I figure I am leaving about 15% give or take from max tow cap for safety margin at that point.

Sounds reasonable

[campigloo]

Go for it. Then when you get a heavier TV you will appreciate the difference.

[dodge_guy]

Terryallan wrote:

MitchF150 wrote:

I have the 3.42 gears and with a loaded 4500 lb (dry) TT and a family of 4 in the TV, I'm disappointed with the Silverado's ability to pull a hill and passing ability in the upper gear range.

Sure, but he has 3.73 gears and with the 4 speed, that will make a big difference.... 😉

You just have expectations that your truck can't achieve... It sounds like you want it to haul up the grades in OD and going 65 mph.. Passing, you want it to accelerate the moment you hit the gas and make your pass... 😉

I still think the OP will be fine with it as long as his towing expectations is not like when it's not towing anything... 🙂

Mitch

Agree. Many think the truck is supposed to drive the same loaded or not. It don't y'all.

i agree, this is probably what people think when they say it struggles!

On the TW, properly loaded you should be around 800lbs. it doesn't have to be 15%. i would shoot for 12-13%. that is where i have been on all my trailers and they all handle great!

[Terryallan]

MitchF150 wrote:

I have the 3.42 gears and with a loaded 4500 lb (dry) TT and a family of 4 in the TV, I'm disappointed with the Silverado's ability to pull a hill and passing ability in the upper gear range.

Sure, but he has 3.73 gears and with the 4 speed, that will make a big difference.... 😉

You just have expectations that your truck can't achieve... It sounds like you want it to haul up the grades in OD and going 65 mph.. Passing, you want it to accelerate the moment you hit the gas and make your pass... 😉

I still think the OP will be fine with it as long as his towing expectations is not like when it's not towing anything... 🙂

Mitch

Agree. Many think the truck is supposed to drive the same loaded or not. It don't y'all.

[dacotahkid]

I was looking at that also. According to spec my payload is 1801 lb appx. So if I keep the weight of the TT at 6500 lb that would be 975 lb TW at 15%. So taking the weight of a family of 4 @ 465 which is inflated a bit for the growing kids (and hoping that I don't gain!!!) that should leave me 360 lb of cargo in the TV. Am I figuring that right? I figure I am leaving about 15% give or take from max tow cap for safety margin at that point.